


I'd Hate To See You Cry

by TheMonsterBookofFanfiction



Category: 5 Seconds of Summer (Band), The Heroes of Olympus - Rick Riordan, The Song of Achilles - Madeline Miller
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Future, Alternate Universe - Powers, Betrayal, Death But Not Really, F/M, Love, M/M, Past Child Abuse, Song Lyrics, Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-29
Updated: 2016-04-29
Packaged: 2018-06-05 04:03:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 16,910
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6688399
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheMonsterBookofFanfiction/pseuds/TheMonsterBookofFanfiction
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>There was a time when the Gifteds ran free. Calum is no longer part of that time. No he's part of the shitty time where he is now being shot at. But can he jump back far enough to change time, but more importantly save Michael?</p>
            </blockquote>





	I'd Hate To See You Cry

 

_ There is a moment in this life that we have been forced to lead that causes true self awareness. It’s the moment that you fight for The Cause only to get death shoved in your face. Mine was worse. The man I love is seven meters away a gun forcing him to his knees with hands above his head, my best friends have Shooters standing over their limp bodies pointing an empty gun at them. Mine was staring me down yelling, “Boy, kneel now or face death,” over and over. I can feel Michael pulling at my pants leg. The Shooters were sometimes merciful if you were pretty or easy to convert to them- I was neither.  _

_ That is not where our story starts though. That is where my time currently is, about a year ahead of you. The jump is messing with my head, I see glimpses of both of our times. So I apologise in the event I have trouble keeping track of what time I'm in. You get to learn the story that starts 3 weeks from now. Get comfy, we have a year to fill in.  _

The pain you get from running seven miles while your lungs are on fire in the middle of the winter at about 2 in the morning was the only pain I could feel anymore. That was until I felt the pain on the entire left side of my body. “Damn it,” I mumbled trying to stand, fire shooting up from my left ankle. “I am going to die,” I sighed as I struggled with low crawling behind a tree. The sound of heavy footsteps were closer than I had thought them to be, They- the company that makes Shooters, Enforcers, and my life a living nightmare- must have be feeding the Shooters something new because last time they weren’t this fast. 

I got myself propped against a tree and I turned to the right checking the path that I just came from to see if they were looking yet. Then cold metal was pressed into my temple. “State if you are for or against The Cause,” the voice whispered, it was gruff and cold from years of anger, into my ear.

“How will you know if I lie,” I asked trying to get a read on him. There was a darkness over him the kind that sticks to people who have lost family in front of them. The gun clicked into place as his answer. “For! Shoot me or don’t I will still be for The Cause,” I rushed, hoping to save my life. 

I heard a small huff, the kind that accompanies a smirk, which caused me to turn. I was first meet with green eyes, the ones that put fresh fern leaves to shame. I looked over him, to match his eyes his hair was lime green but quickly shifted to red, a tell of an emotional morpher. He wore a smirk on dark blood red lips forcing his ghostly skin tone to stick out. The red and black masked that covered his eyes and cheekbones told me he leader of The Cause. 

Clearing his throat he rose, showing off his height, probably only an inch shorter than I. He was thin, but it hid the layer of muscles under the skin- the gun wouldn’t be his only defence. He stuck out his hand, “Rise,” he commanded soft but firm, I quickly gripped him hoping not to fall. He looked down at my ankle once I was up, studying how I didn’t put pressure on it. “You hurt yourself. Come lean on me, The City is not far,” he said, already grabbing my arm and looping it around him. He and I seem to have different views on the word lean for he picks me up and carries me in a fire man hold as he ran. I brought up this point and he laughed and shared a small smile. 

Gingy, as I had begun to refer to him in my head, was correct in saying that the so called City was not far away.  After about three minutes of being carried he set me down right in front of a tree on the edge of the forest. While confused at first I understood after he walked a few meters out of the woods and pushed a boulder aside to reveal a cave entrance. After making sure the boulder would stay in place he came back for me, this time letting me properly lean on him.  The hole in the mountain led to a large opening, revealing people and more people hustling from tent to tent carrying bags filled with weapons, food, and other goods. It was the roar of the crowd that gave me heartache to follow Gingy.  He took my hand and led me to a strange little tent off in the front corner. Once inside I was met by five pairs of eyes three of which were covered with masks much like his. A girl with short, curled, waterfall coloured hair, tan skin much like my own, and an athletic build seem to be the one in charge. Hanging loose at her side was a dagger of silver with gold words engraved on the blade that I couldn’t discern. Her onyx eyes judged me as she looked me over, what she found apparently amused her. She turned to Gingy and said, “Michael, What on earth have you found? We made a deal, do not pick up anyone else. We are already low on supplies.”

“Don't be so harsh Katarina. You have no idea what the circumstances were that Michael found him,” interrupted an older looking boy with wild honey curls, broad shoulders, biceps about as big as my leg, and perfect gold eyes brought out by a red and blue mask. Katarina glared at the man, there was little heat behind it though mostly just fondness. 

“Fine you are right Ashton. Michael explain who this man is then,” she spoke again to Gingy, Michael, as I had now learned. Michael shifted from foot to foot before stepping before them, resembling someone in court who was going to be found guilty no matter what. 

The extremely tall and miniscule blonde man with eyes bluer than cobalt wearing a silver and black renaissance mask giggled at this, “Please Michael don’t be nervous, Kat is just worried about those who are getting sick. We will not punish you for kindness. You are our friend for what is it, ten years now. Please tell us what happened. We will find a place for your attractive new friend.” The wink  directed at me that Blondie gave at the end made Michael’s eyes shift to black. 

“Please shut up, Luke. Don’t make a joke out of this council because you are a deprived eighteen year old boy. Michelle, Danny, leave us. You do not need to hear this meeting,” Ashton sighed rubbing his temple. At the command the unmasked boy and girl, both younger and smaller than everyone in the room, left. 

“He was running from Shooters. The Shooter modifiers must have gotten some new Hyper or something from They. Three times faster than they were two weeks ago, They are advancing too rapidly,” Michael broke the staring contest between Ashton and Luke, Katarina’s eyes have not yet left mine. I had began to wonder if she was a telepath, trying to force herself into my mind. 

“Wrong,” Luke’s sharp voice cut through the silence, all but me turn to him in confusion. Luke leaned back against the table with maps and papers ascued all over it. “Kat’s power is that she has a pair of giant wings on her back and can contort someone’s memory. And Ash here can touch things and cause them to explode, along with the ability influence people mixed in there, they make quite the power couple.” Both stiffened and glared at the words spilling from Luke’s mouth. He had a sense of power and instability radiating off of him. It reminded me of The Joker from an old comic that my dad owned. “But your boy here,” he hissed, shifting his gaze to stare Michael for a millisecond before caressing my cheek. I wanted to flinch but couldn’t. “Mikey possesses the power to shift hair and eye colour due to emotion along with being a well trained mur-”

“Luke! That is enough,” Katarina barked out, pulling both of us down to Earth. A change occurred in his eyes, one that made him look softer and younger and confused of what the world had done to him. “Ashton can you take him to Pat to get his medication dose increased. It wears off to quick now.” 

“Yeah. Course,” Ashton mumbled walking around the table to peck her lips. before dragging Luke out the tent. Luke gets one last look at me before making this noise that sounded like a hurt puppy, mumbling about the shiftings. 

“Sorry about him. He watched too many people die in front of him then was captured by They. Screwed up his brain, caused the poor boy to be two people almost,” Katarina disclosed with a new level of grief I have yet to feel in anyone. She lifted her head to look at me glancing over me once more. I realised then what I must really look like, my tan skin covered in mud and blood, my old cut shirt and skinny jeans ripped from thorns and rocks, my black hair getting too long to be the undercut it was designed for, my chocolate eyes red from constant tears. I hadn’t washed in at least a week. “Why were you running?” she asked pulling me from my own self doubt. 

This caused me to shift awkwardly in my skin. These people are like me, I reminded myself, before taking a deep breath, “My sister and I are Gifted. My parents tried to keep as safe as possible, but one of the boys on my footie team found out and ran to the nearest Enforcer.” 

“When was this?” I turned to Michael to answer him. It takes me a minute to think back, with the constant moving I haven’t had time to count. 

“About three weeks I think,” I uttered trying to see if that sounded right to my own ears. 

“What of your sister?” Kat queried further. I couldn’t help the recoil at the mention of my sister. 

“Shooter got her a week in. She was a power transfer, so she gave me her true Gift right before….” I couldn’t finish, the pain washed over me, the memories of the night we were found. I felt a soft hand lay on my shoulder. I looked up to see Michael pulling me into a hug. His hair a soft lavender, his eyes back to green.

“What was her true Gift,” Michael mumbled into my hair, his voice is soothing in a way I had yet to know. Maybe that’s part of his Gift, emotional support or something.

“She could jump time and distance. It came in handy when running, but she refused to use it because of leaving me behind. She never really used her powers in general. so she never learned to master then to the point of most jumpers who can travel with several people. Heidi kinda thought of them as a curse I guess.”

“Her name was Heidi?” Michael asked. I just nodded trying to push all memories of her out of my head.

“And your Gift is,” Katarina inquired, I had forgotten she was even there. The moment passed and Michael released me, which made me feel cold internally and externally. It reminded me of the hugs Heidi would force me into when I was sad. 

“I have the ability to control or feel someone’s emotions, I can also intensify an emotion over a large group of people,” I explained, wiping the small tears from my eyes. I looked up to see Katarina’s back, donning two large and beautiful hawk style wings. I gasped causing both her and Michael to turn around. 

Katarina broke a small smile on her lips, the kind that holds a twisted sense of pain. “People here say they give me an air of power a sense of leadership. Like I could break free from the norm and create a new path, but I spent my high school career spit on and shoved to agree. The world outside of here was the worst form of torture, where ignorance turned violent,” she mused almost to the air. Her hand went naturally to a small locket resting against her sternum the words matched the style of the ones on the dagger. Whatever trance she went into she snapped out of it quickly. “Mikey go lead him to the bath house and then get him new clothes. He will be staying in your room. I’ll have Ash bring up a  cot for … what is your name?” 

I realised then that I never introduced myself to anyone here. I had to chuckle at that, “I am Calum.”

“Nice name,” Michael commented before turning to Katarina, “Don’t have Ash make the trip, he can just share my bed. It’s a king, too big for me anyway.” With that they do a strange salute to each other and Michael grabbed my hand pulling me out of the tent and down a small hill to a building with steam leaking from the roof. “Right, so we have to go visit Pierre down at the clothes shop. Don’t look at me like that we won’t make you pay just yet. You can get a job here, though. This place is just a really tiny town. Anyway after that we go down to the shower house, if you have any major wounds I will take you to our medic Pat. He’s the guy Luke has to see for his um... meds. If nothing is too bad, we will go back to my tent, house, whatever you wanna call it, and bring you to Pat in the morning. Does that sound good,” Michael explained with rapid fire, not taking a single breath but showing a giant toothy smile. It was when he has stopped talking that I realised that we have stopped in front of-

_ Owww, sorry you have to excuse me, my jump is taking so long to explain. Oh my soul, what are they doing to me back there? I want to go and check but I don’t know if I will have to strength to come back to you. Right where was I? Thank you, yes we had just got to the shop.  _

Michael forced me to get five new tight-wicking athletic long sleeves, along with two black and two camo pairs of pants that resembled Marines cammy trousers, a pair of trainers and a pair of combat boots, plus a pair or two of joggers for sleep and workouts. I make a joke that they were preparing me for war, but Michael didn’t laugh, he just stared off with a sad expressions I made quick work of showering after that, dressed in some jogging bottoms and a jumper before silently following Michael back to a tent near the back camp. “How many people live here,” I broke the silence. I had to jog to keep up with him. After the shower we concluded that fixing my ankle could wait till the morning seeing as it wasn’t killing me but after having to almost run to keep up I really hated that choice. 

Michael turned to me, smirking when he saw I was quite far behind, then replied, “As of this morning one thousand and seven. My friend Rian and his wife had a baby girl this morning named Grace.” He became sad again after the name. I search the feeling more, and found regret and mourning I did not push him further on any topic. When we got to the tent it was more of a solid building than most, the same went for the other five tents in the row. To the left was Katarina and Ashton whispering softly before kissing again and retiring to their tent. Luke was getting back to his, to the left of Katarina and Ashton’s. A tall, athletic, tan man who possessed piercing green eyes and long flowing gold hair had a hand on Luke’s back the whole way. He patted Luke on the shoulder in a way of condolence before turning away. Luke gave me a once over. Michael came into the frame  giving a harsh sneer and dragging me into his tent. 

“You didn’t need to do that. He is still your best friend, and he is quite sorry for what he did,” I scolded setting the new clothes on a bench at the end of a large four post bed. I quickly took in the room; it is not big or small. It was empty, though, only holding a bed, dresser, end table, and a desk with a chair. 

“And how would you know? Was someone using this gift,” Michael hinted. There was amusement in the sentence. 

“What’s the strangest colour your hair can turn? The red from earlier was quite obnoxious,” I tried to divert the question. He knew the answer, I didn’t need to tell him. 

He laughed and nodded, leaning against the desk and looking me over, calm and unthreatening. “Orange. An old friend told me that when I am amused my hair looks like a butternut squash, tried to call me Gord for a while. To be honest the first few time anyone used it I got super angry, but it died off,” he explained with a shrug of his shoulders. 

¨May I call you Mikey,” I asked still staring at from the end of the bed. 

“If you want to, go for it,” was Mikey’s reply, very nonchalant. 

“Why do you let me sleep in your bed? A cot would have been just as nice for me. I have been sleeping on the forest floor the past three weeks, any bed would be perfect.” I asked walking  softly to the right side of the bed before just stopping and standing there. Mikey made a hand motion for me to go on, and I crawled in. The sheets were soft and warm, as if they were preheated. It made me purr like a kitten at the sensation. 

I heard Mikey giggle and looked up to find him slipping into the other side of the bed. “I was not lying when I said it’s a large bed. Also I figured you needed something better than our terrible and old cots. Anyway, sleep. You are about to get a really busy life with a lot of early mornings,” he yawned at the end, showing it was truly him who needed the sleep. We said our goodnights before drifting into sleep on opposite sides of the bed. 

I woke before him the next morning. There was no sunlight streaming through the walls of the tent only artificial light from the lamps and fires hanging around the city. Our positions had changed in sleep. I was now laying on his chest with his right arm wrapped tight around my waist our legs are a tangled mess under the sheets. I closed my eyes and pretend life was different, that I was in bed with the man I loved  and there wasn’t a war against us caused by They. I felt him stir from sleep with little shifts. I heard a muttered ‘beautiful’ and opened my eyes to find sharp emerald ones looking down at me. 

“Morning pup. We need to get you down to Pat ASAP. Then you get to come with me for training, probably meet Achilles or Nico,” Michael greeted, giving me one last tight squeeze before getting out of the bed and walking over the dresser pulling out new clothes. With the fresh clothes in hand he made his way to a wash bin sitting on the desk. He removed his shirt and dipped his head into the water using a bar of soap to clean his hair and face. 

I couldn’t peel my eyes off of his back. It was made of tight muscles but not like the kind you see in those old movies where the guys all have rippling six packs. No, this was a man who was underfed and did the bare minimum for exercise. The hypnotising part was the whip like scars that cover the white skin. I heard a gentle but bitter chuckle coming from him. Michael turned around only for me to find that the scars continued there. “My um, my parents didn’t take too kindly to the fact that their son was a Gifted. Neither did the kids in the neighborhood. I learned quick that kids suck,” he told me pulling on his new shirt. It’s black and looser than the ones I got yesterday but a similar style. He began to pull off his pants, causing me to blush and turn away. Without looking at him I walked to the table and grab some new clothes for myself, I quickly change into the white shirt and black cammies. 

I had just finished lacing up the trainers when I was lifted into the air. I grabbed at his torso, seeing as I was once again in a fireman's carry, to keep myself from falling to the ground. He chuckled at my flailing. Once I was settled I slapped his chest. The walk- ride?- to the medic tent was not long, it was quiet except the town’s early morning hussel. People were rushing all over the place, but stopped and stood still when Michael and I approached then continued after we passed. 

The medic tent was small, inside held two large cupboards of medicine and supplies, five cots, and a table turned desk in the back corner right across from cupboard hidden only by a curtain. Michael set me down on the middle bed on the left side of the tent, then shouted, “Pat! Mate! I have someone for you to fix up!”

After quite a bit of noise, that sounded like papers being pushed and crumbled, a very average man, with a dark but soft complexion and hair that came to his chin, stumbled out from behind the curtain. The man that led Luke to his tent last night followed soon after, both had puffy red lips and messy hair. Mikey smirked and shook his head while laughing at the two of them the blonde didn’t not find it funny for his jaw locked and shoulders straightened. “Oh man, Katarina is going to have your heads if she finds out you two are at it again,” Mikey warned. The darker one turned pink with blush while the blonde stepped in front of him protectively. 

“Well then Michael, she must not find out,” Blondie growled animalistically, his words were not clear muddled by a Mediterranean accent, trying to threaten Michael into silence. 

“Oh look, a patient,” The darker one mumbled each word think with an Italian accent hinted on every clear word, slipping past his blonde friend and he almost made it to me before Michael stepped forward. 

“Do you really believe it wise to threaten me, Achilles?” Michael’s voice was ice, his hair turning a deep purple and his eyes a sharp red. 

“The same could go for you. I could kill you and no one would ever know,” Achilles replied, stepping up to Michael. He was an inch or two shorter but had much better muscle development than Michael, broader shoulders too. There was something about this new man when he first walked in he could only be described as pretty. Now he was an animal whose only goal to protect his mate.

“And I can take away everything you love much faster,” was Michael’s chilling response, there was only two inches between the two.

“Why must this happen at least once a week,” Pat mumbled, looking over my body before settling on my ankle. He turned back to the other two and read the situation before letting out a deep sigh, “Babe, he was joking. Besides, Kat couldn’t kill me. I am one of two medic that this place has. Now could you be a really great husband and get me some food, along with some for this lovely young man laying in my infirmary. It seems Mikey here has forgot to feed our guest.”

Achilles looked from Pat to me to Pat again then glanced at Michael before huffing and walking to Pat, dropping a soft kiss on his head and jogging out of the tent. Michael sighed and walked over to me sitting on the opposite edge to Pat. “And you.” Pat accusingly pointed his finger at Michael, “need to stop torturing Achilles. I am sick of breaking up fights between the two of you.”

“It’s not my fault he doesn’t understand sarcasm,” Michael mumbled, grabbing my hand loosely. Pat just rolled his eyes and continued working on my ankle. He had to take off the shoe, which relieved a lot of the pain, and roll up the pants leg. Once he could properly see the swollen flesh Pat began gently rubbing the area. The initial touch hurt but the pain quickly left, leaving only sweet relief. 

“There you go. I am going to wrap it in some compression bandage to hold the bones in place for the next 24 hours,” Pat said, patting my calf just above the ankle before standing and walking to the first cupboard. Quickly grabbing what he needed and walking back resuming his position. 

“How did you do that,” I asked in awe staring down at him. A light smile graced his lips.

“My younger cousin and I have the same Gift, we can heal people instantly along with rapid healing of non fatal wounds. Kat likes to call us regenerators. His is a bit cooler, though. he can also give people deadly illnesses. I use my gift here, but Will tends to use it only on Nico. That boy is accident prone to the max,” Pat explained finishing the wrap and helping put back on my sock and shoe. Standing he nodded to Mikey before heading back to the desk. Right before he got behind the curtain he turned to Mikey and said, “You two better be out of here before Achilles comes back, I am not breaking up another fight this week.” 

Mikey just giggled before looking down at me with a sad expression only to  grab under my arms and easily pulled me to my feet. He let go after he had made sure I could stand on my own, grabbing my hand again, Mikey swiftly leading me out of the tent. We walked to a large Roman arena shaped building. Once in front of it Michael turns to me. “If you want to stay here you need to learn somethings. One of those things is how to fight hand to hand and with your Gift. So here’s your choice: follow me in and stay or don’t go wait in our tent and you have to leaving in a week. You pick,” Michael told me. It was the most serious I have seen him yet. I nodded and lead us into the arena, I could feel the smirk on his face as I passed. 

After long hours of training we final took a break. Sitting down against the wall gulping water, I looked out at all the people still training. Mikey settled in next to me, slowly drinking water a smile too bright on his face. “Earlier in the Infirmary, you said Katarina would kill Pat and Achilles if she found out they were at it again. Is that because she is homophobic,” I asked tentatively, afraid of the answer I might get. 

The response I was not expecting was for him to laugh at me. Not like the little chuckles that he had given me before, no this was full out barking with laugher. His hair even turns this fun bright orange colour. “Your friend was right you do look a squash,” I mumbled bitterly glaring up at the obnoxious orange before turning away from him.

“Sorry,” He stumbled out after getting some air, “I am just trying to picture Kat being homophobic after all the girls she has dated before Ash. No that’s is not the reason that Kat would kill them, the reason she would kill them is because they have a nasty habit of snogging in the Infirmary and then having people walk in on them. Which is funny to see the people’s faces as they come running out of there, but when it’s you who walks in on them it is actually quite terrifying, I never wanted to see those two sharing spit, married or not.” 

I nodded finding it funny that Mikey walked in on two of his friends like that. “So what are the rules about gay relationships here,” I asked still afraid. 

Mikey looked over at me over at me with a soft smile, his hair turned to this soft lavender colour. He let out a sigh before wrapping an arm around me. “There isn’t much of one to be honest. The hetero to homo ratio is about fifty fifty,” he explained. I stared at him in confusion. That’s not normal, in any part of the world. The percent of the world that is queer is about the same as those who are Gifted, a little less than ten percent. 

“You are lying to me,” I accused him, glaring him, his hair turned white as his face contorted into one of sadness. 

“I promise you I am not lying, think about it we are all rejects it makes sense that half of Gifted are queer,” Michael breathed out, he spoke softly to not scare me. I scoffed and turned away.

He sighed and scanned the arena before nudging my shoulder and pointing. “I mean look over there at the short dark haired kid and the tall blonde,” he told me, I scanned the arena till I found an Italian boy in his mid teens who was scarily tiny and a tall blonde Californian of the same age but much better fed sparring. The dark one seemed to create monsters from nothing while the other dodged and shot at them with silver tipped arrows. Both were smiling. “That’s Nico and Wes, yeah Pat’s cousin, they have been in love since they met three years ago. They just got themselves together and started dating about a year ago. Ashton and Luke dated before Kat came into the picture. And you already met Pat and Achilles.” 

I felt a wave of comfort with the realisation: I am not a freak among freaks.  “And yourself?” I asked softly thinking that talking too loud would burst the little bubble we created. 

“Bi, but I’ve always leaned a little more to guys if they are cute enough,” he replied, his smirk back in full force. We took a minute out of time to just look at each other before he stood sticking out a hand to me. “Come we still got some work to do.” 

*********

Two months pass before They start to fight stronger against The Cause. I had fallen into a pattern by this point in The City, as its residents call it. I got a job working at the nursery calming and soothing the other workers and babies. Michael had decided I was his personal project when it comes to combat training, along with controlling my Gifts to the point where I could jump with one other person. A trait my sister never had. He forced me into the arena at least three times a week, normally joined by Nico and Will or Achilles or Katarina and Ashton, working me till he had to carry me back to our tent, praising how well I did that day the whole time. We had also gotten into this steady rhythm of casual flirting with each other, but neither making the first move to do anything about it. I got closer to Katarina, Ashton, and Luke in this time, but nowhere as close as I had to Michael. I have started to understand what happened to Luke, he tells me late at night when the others are off in a meeting that he had the experience of watching his family be killed slowly in front of him by The Shooters at the age of seven- he is only eighteen now a year younger than me. The trauma took something from him but Pat and Will found a temporary solution called the Meds. I also learn that Ashton is the one that got Michael out of his home back in Australia, where him, Luke, and Michael are originally from. They lived on the edge of Perth, the last part of the country to be taken over by They. Working extra time in The Office filing papers and calming everyone down when need I found that Katarina still had nightmares of when the students at her school in Texas tried to clip her wings. I asked them once how they all ended up in southern Italy their answer was the same reason I came- Italy was the last country that They invaded. 

The attack was in the forest where I was found. The Shooters set fire to the majority of it. Katarina soared over to the front of the forest while I jumped Michael and me there. We each wore our masks. Since I didn’t have, one I wore Ashton’s as he, Luke, Achilles, Nico, and several others were fighting to stop the spread of the fire. 

When we landed, we were met with the sight of a dead body. It was a girl pale in skin tone, light brown hair that was poorly cut off, the job of someone who didn’t know or care how it should be done. She was thin appearing to not have eaten properly in weeks- maybe even months once I got a closer look, the jeans and tank top she had on were ripped in several places and covered in blood masking the true colour of the clothing. The scariest part was the fact that her eyes were still open. They were a light gold with flecks of green. I was pulled into Michael’s chest, I had gotten a glimpse at his hair and eyes, both of which were black again. I heard a pained scream. I pushed back from Mikey as a wave of hurt and despair and anger came crashing over my soul. 

That’s when I noticed Katarina, kneeling at the body pulling the limp form of the girl into her lap. The pain was coming from Kat. Michael pulled on my wrist only to hold onto my face whispering to me, “Go get Ashton, love.” 

“Michael, who is-” I started but was cut off.

“Don’t ask questions, just go get Ashton. Tell him Grace came home.” His hair has streaks of blue now. I squeezed his hand for comfort before making the jump. I found Ashton right outside The City wall with only Nico and Pat. A large dark blob carrying water and killing the fire. 

He smiled at me when I got closer. “Cool trick isn’t it?” he asked, his smile was big showing off his deep dimples. “Nico has the Gift to control and manipulate darkness, turned it into a bowl and carried water from the lake. Where are Mikey and Kat?” He searched the sky for his fiance. 

“When we got to the edge there was a body. Kat screamed, the pain she felt it hurt so bad, Ash. Michael sent me to get you saying that Grace has come home,” I rushed through hoping he understood. 

A darkness washed over him, much like it did for Mikey. He looked me with dead eyes and commanded, “Take me to them.”

When we got back they were in same shape that I left them. Ashton doesn’t even wait for the effects of the jump to wear off before rushing to Kat. I almost collapsed, Michael caught me in time to break my fall. I looked up in his eyes but this time they are red with hints of blue his hair is the same. I had seen many colours of Michael knowing the means too but blue was not one I knew. I heard a strangled noise and turned my head back to the devastating scene. I see a blood covered dagger identical to the one that Katarina always had. 

I began to lose consciousness due to Katarina’s grief for the dead girl. As the black crept in I heard Katarina whisper, “Drop the dagger and lather the blood on your hands, Romeo. The sharpest lives are the deadliest to lead.”

I woke up in our bed, my head on Michael’s chest as he played with my hair.  “Morning sleeping beauty,” he asked smiling down at me. His hair is a soft pale pink, which was a colour I didn’t know. I stretched out my legs and arms and nodded. 

“What does pink mean?” I asked through a yawn. Mikey looked taken aback from the question. His shock was quickly covered with a satisfied smirk.

“Love if I remember right. Has been a while since my hair has been that colour,” he clarified for me, I become frozen at the unexpected response. “But enough about my gorgeous hair, how are you feeling, pup?” Michael pushed on. 

“I am better. Katarina just hit me with a maelstrom of emotion earlier. Sorry you had to see me like that,” I said, settling in closer to him. He was only wearing a thin cotton shirt and joggers, I was only in joggers. Michael nodded only sort of listening, his hair changing back to have slight hints of blue. “Michael,” I called to get his attention he snapped out of his haze and looked down at me, “Who was that girl?” 

His left arm gripped tighter on my side while his right stopped playing with my hair. His hair was now all blue. I had to know what blue means. I searched his emotions only to come up feeling empty and hopeless. I whined at the feeling, causing him to look down at me. “No, no, no. Calum don’t tell me you went on a hunt for what I was feeling,” Michael rushed out, laying me down on my back only to hover over me. He lightly laid his hands on me in quick flashes trying to calm me. His hair was now yellow and I figured panic is better than this, I reached for it and found it. I got enough control to manipulate the emotions in the room to make us both calm. He released a deep breath but then the reason that it happened hit him again and the soft green became turquoise. “Right, the girl,” he started, but it was broken like he was trying to talk with no air. He coughed and cleared his throat before continuing, “That was um, it was Grace, Katarina’s older sister. She was like us, had the Gift to lend strength. She was amazing, Kat looked at her like she was a god. Maybe to a little sibling she was. Grace was the one to start this, The City. That was seven years ago. Right after America got over run by They. About a year ago she went on a mission, wasn’t hard just meeting up with a contact, but she never came back. Got a letter stapled to a tree saying she was dead. I am glad you didn’t know Katarina back then, if you passed from today you might have been killed then. She was so destructive and angry at everything back then, it was only a little after her and Ash got together. They are some cruel, sick people. When Grace started this, she got her and Kat matching daggers. They say in Russian: ‘the whole is only as great as its weakest part’ some weird moto they had about the residence in The City. They tortured her with her own dagger. Grace was alive this whole time. Was killed right on the edge this morning.” 

There is a certain anguish you feel when you see someone you love go through intense pain. It was easy to see that Grace was a big sister to everyone here in her time, which is most people. Those who came after never heard of her for Katarina’s sake. The soft blue that both Michael’s eyes and hair turned hurt me in my soul whether I searched his feelings or not. It gave me the courage to lean up that little inch and connect our lips, praying I hadn’t misread all the flirting and light touches and waking up cuddling. 

Michael stayed stone still for half a second, which felt like a lifetime, before he moved. When he did, he pushed me to be laying down completely, him straddling my waist. The kisses were closed mouthed and sweet but held more emotion than I have ever felt. “Go out with me,” Michael breathed when we pull back.

“Yes,” I sighed delighted to hear the words.

He leaned in and pressed his lips on mine, hard and loving. “Be my boyfriend,” he gasped again, his eyes and hair were now a soft pink. 

“Yes,” I shouted a little louder giggling at how ridiculous this was. 

Again he leaned in and pressed his lips to mine. This time he pulled away slowly. “Don’t leave me,” he mumbled, blue coming back into his hair and eyes, my new least favourite colour.

I sat up so we are chest to chest. I lightly place both of my hands on his face, cupping under his jaw. I lift his head till he looks me in the eye. “Never,” I whispered before closing the small gap between us. 

We fell asleep that night in a tangle of limbs, smiles on both of our faces. Michael’s hair and eyes were that bright soft pink when we fell asleep and woke up. Pink was my new favourite colour. 

The City was a buzzing mess the next two weeks. Those who knew Grace held a large funeral for her. Some worked hard whittling a log into a boat for her body. Katarina fitted Grace in one of her old dresses, a white lace with green flowers all over. There was a lake near The City, right after the West exit. I joined most of the residence on the march to the lake, Nico bent the shadows to carry the makeshift boat there and slip it into the water’s edge. Everyone stood back except for Katarina, Ashton, Pat, Achilles, Michael, and Luke. I had come to know that along with Grace they were the founders of the city. 

Katarina was in an all black dress, a satin under skirt with lace hanging loose on top. Her hair was separated by top and lower half, the top half was braided. All the boys wore dress pants and button up shirts, hair combed and slicked back. Achilles even took the time to French braid his. Michael’s hair was lavender with small tuffs white- sympathy, sadness. Most everyone else was just in black whatever they could find. I had only my black wicker shirt and pants. 

Katarina turned from her sister’s dead body and looked out over the crowd of people. With tears in her eyes she began to speak, “When I was a younger girl, Grace took me into the city to see the marching band. She said, ‘One day I’ll leave you, a phantom to lead you in the summer, to take charge of The Cause’. I didn’t think that it would be this soon. I have now experienced my sister’s death twice, and I am sick of the control that They have over us. They killed my sister two weeks ago with her own dagger. Grace had the power to lend her strength to people or pull strength from others. She had the power to join all of us Gifted into a family to fight for The Cause. It’s time to let They know what The Cause really is. We carry on my sister’s memory and don’t let her die in vain. It’s time that all Shooter, Enforcers, and anyone works for They is brought down! It is time that we call for the final fight, us versus them, no civilians involved. And I will fight till the end because they can try but they’ll never make me, because they will never take my heart! This burial is the marking of war!” With that her wings spread fully, she turned and pushed the boat on the water. It got out a little ways before it became lit with fire. We all stood there and watched as Grace’s body and boat burned to a crisp. 

After the body was gone many left back to The City. I stood and watched as the others talked quietly among themselves, probably about the plan of attack. At some point Michael came over to me. Leaning in quick for a kiss then grabbing my hand. “Jump us up to that cliff to the right,” He whispered. I looked up at the mountain side before turn to him, confusion evident. He let out a deep chuckle before point to a more prominent one about 12 meters up. The jump was easy to make, when we got there my breath was taken. Michael had set up a little picnic right on the cliff, it overlooked the forest and the lake. “I found this place when The City was just The Camp. It’s really peaceful; no one can really hear you up here,” Michael explained as he turned to the basket pulling out two sandwiches and a bottle of Coke. 

“So what I am hearing is that this is where you plan to kill me,” I joked, joining him on the blanket. I lay down on my side so I was facing him. He laughed and shook his head. 

“No if I wanted to kill you, I would have already,” He laughed, handing me a sandwich and a glass. I stared down at the food for a minute deciding whether or not it is a good idea to ask this, but I needed to know.

“Is that what Luke was going to say that first night? That you are a well trained killer,” I mumbled. I heard a deep sigh and that forced me to look up.

Mikey’s hair was now a soft turquoise. I grabbed for his hand trying to calm him down that only got me a soft smile. “I went with Grace for about a year, the others built and commanded here but Grace and I left to find new recruits. We found some in the mountains, a highly advanced group set on using force when only semi needed. They said we had to prove that we were good enough to fight with them. Together we trained for six months, hand to hand, using our powers, using weapons taken from Shooters or Enforcers. It took us that long to realise that we didn’t want those kind of people training with us. So we left, but the skills stayed with us. I used mine when Luke and I went to a nearby town. A Shooter found us and ended up hurting Luke, a switch went off in my head. Luke reverted back to this little kid that I knew him to be when I moved in with Ash. I made a promise to never use what I learned again,” he explained, I sat there staring at him looking for a change from the man I had learned over the past three months. I couldn’t find a change. I grabbed his face to force him to look at me. I lightly kissed him, trying to convey that it didn’t matter to me what he had learned. When we broke he chuckled breathlessly, “Where did you come from?” I knew he meant it as a joke but I had never told him. 

“New Zealand,” I said back, causing him to groan. Oh, the feud between Kiwis and Aussies, “But I’m half Scottish, so when They took over there my dad shipped Heidi and me off his cousin’s house there.” 

“You are-”

_ Ahhhh, I’m sorry but something is pulling me back to my time. I will only be gone a moment though to you it will seem like no difference. Don’t ask questions, it has to happen. I don’t know I said I’ll be back soon if it seems like no time for you. Oh hush, so I was told you were sassy, I get it now. _

_ “What on earth are you doing!” I scream once I get my focus in the other time. I look down at Michael as he tries to stand pulling on my arm to steady himself. His hair is black but eyes still green, a dark dark green. All of his clothes are soaked in blood that I only pray is not his own.  _

_ “You need to stop! The jumps are killing you!” Michael yells back over the noise of the battle that sounds like a scratched record, playing that one word over and over again.  _

_ “I can’t! I have to finish the story. It’s the only way to stop this outcome,” I wave my free arm around us. My eyes catch something bright and green only covered by some dark hair. I turn to face it only to find the dead body of Pat and Achilles, laid together run through by the same bullet to the chest.  _

_ “You don’t know what will be changed. Love, it may change nothing. You are only hurting yourself, Calum, let it be,” Michael whispers to me grabbing my jaw to get me to look him in the eyes.  _

_ “It is not allowed to be like this, I can’t let it end like this. I have power to change it. If it works no one will die,” I mumble, tears leaking from my eyes.  _

_ “How far back are you going,” he demands with hard eyes and set features.  _

_ “A year and three weeks, just before we first met. Now, sweetheart, let go and let me finish what needs to be done.” I pull his hands off of my face holding them down and kiss him before stepping away and jumping back.  _

_ Sorry for the break. Yes I know you didn’t notice the difference. Shut up, you can tone your sass down about three levels. Where even was I? I need to speed up this story. Again remind me what was I talking about? Oh yeah, the date… Hey, don’t roll your eyes at me! It was a cute date! Fine I’ll tell you the important parts.  _

The day after our date Katarina instructed all of the new or inexperienced fighters to gather in the arena that morning. Michael and another girl  I had met a few times in The Office were in charge of teaching us. I sat on the benches set up so we can watch Michael and her. The girl is short, maybe a hundred and sixty cm. Her hair was chopped off and strawberry blonde, barely touching her chin. Her skin was pale and olive, that of a sick Italian. Her green gold eyes resembled Grace’s in not only colour but also the death that hung in them. With one look I didn't trust her. Michael seemed stiff around her causing me to be even more weary of her. She introduced herself as Jenny, then told us how Michael was going to pull one of us and demonstrate how to take out a Shooter when attacked. I knew Mikey was going to pull me, but I did not trust the smile that adorned Jenny’s face when he did. 

We started doing the basic techniques that Michael had showed me over the months that I have lived in The City. After everyone got that much Jenny tossed me a gun, unloaded, and had him show how to disarm a Shooter. It was a quick move that ended up pulling my arm at a weird angle. The more I squirmed away from him, the tighter he held me. ‘Michael, please it hurts,” I whined trying to get him to release me. I heard him gasp then quickly drop my arm while mumbling a sorry. I looked over at Jenny only to see her frowning. 

“Right,” she started looking back at the group, “since Michael has been training with Calum they are going to show you what a fight with knives would look like. Try to watch their moves, then you will take all that you’ve learned and practice it with your own partner.”

Michael paled and his hair a harsh yellow, which was a strange sight to see with his already pale skin. “Jen, I don’t think that’s the best idea,” Michael stuttered out looking between her and me as she handed us knives.

“Of course it is. Come on Mikey, show us what you can do.” The sentence flipped a switch in his head. Michael flipped the knife so the blade was pointing down then charged at me. I was taken by surprise but recovered and let the training come into play. I was forced on defense; Michael’s aggressive attacks were nothing like from my training. His hair was red and eyes dark. I was getting tired and had trouble fighting him off. He struck my left arm can, I watched as the blood quickly seeped out of the large gash. I tried backing away but tripped. Michael grabbed where he had cut and forced the arm around my neck, the blade on top of his arm pressed to my neck. I heard a soft laugh and turned my eyes to Jenny. Her harsh voice cut through the sound of blood rushing to my head, “To un-explain the unforgivable. Go on Michael, drain all the blood and give the kids a show!”

I pinched my eyes shut realising this was how I was going die, by the person I think I love. Right as the cool metal was pushed harder into my neck, a new voice cut through, “Michael! That is enough. Drop the knife!” I was pushed away from him and stumbled for a little. I gripped my left arm to slow the bleeding. I looked back at Michael, saddened by the blue and white highlights that cover his head. I turn to Katarina as she soared into the center of the mess. Her dark eyes darted from me to Michael to Jenny. Shaking her head she turned to the group, “Haley take Calum to the medic, get that arm fixed. Michael, Jenny, you two will follow me to the Office. Everyone else resume your daily activities.” 

A girl with long black hair stood and grabbed my good arm before dragging me to Pat. I tried to talk with her, but she looked back at me with an expression of annoyance and I stopped. When we got to the Infirmary she looked me over once, huffed, and walked off. I rolled my eyes and headed into the tent, only to be greeted with the sight of Nico under Will, luckily both fully clothed, making out. “Okay seriously,” I yelled, causing Nico to pull away- much to Will’s disappointment, “Why does your family like to uses this place as a bedroom?”

Rolling his eyes, Nico pushed Will off of him. “Pretty sure they have a thing for being walked in on. Like-” Nico began explaining sounding like a younger version of Pat, higher pitched but still Italian.

“I don’t want to know. Just someone fix my arm,” I growled as I put my hand over his mouth shaking my head. I stared directly at Nico as he sprawled out like a cat on the cot next to me. “Where are from?” I asked meeting his gaze.

He smiled lazily up at me before responding, “Venice originally, though I quickly left for Florence after my father passed. But any part of Italy is better than the West coast of America, right Will?”

Will huffed again, pulling up on a stool to the edge of the bed I had taken a seat on. He put out his hand, a silent request for my arm. I released the cut, a hiss as the dried blood pulled at my skin, and rested it in his hand. Lightly he lays his hand over the cut that was still bleeding. His eyes shut and eyebrows scrunched together as he focused on the wound, as the wound slowly closed  his hair started glowing bright gold. “His hair is glowing,” I gasped watching him.

“Yep,” Nico said uninterested playing with some wrappings that were laying around. 

“Does it always do that?”

“Only when he uses his powers.” This caused me to think back at what Pat had told me of his cousin’s powers the first day we met.

“Even when he uses the dark plague powers,” I inquired looking over to Nico, only to feel nails digging into my arm. I flinched and pulled back my arm healed. 

“It glows silver then,” Will told me monotoned, the American accent that Nico hinted at made it sound harsher, “You can leave now, your arm is fine now.” I nod and walked out of the tent, only to turn back to see Nico comforting Will over something. I have a sinking feeling in my stomach that it had to do with what I said. 

When I stepped in our tent I find Michael sitting on the edge of our bed looking down at his interlaced hands, which still had a little blood on them. “Hi,” I greeted causing him to look at me, his eyes are a pained dark blue. 

“Hey,” He mumbled back, looking back down at his hands. I sighed and walked to him. I separated his hands so I could stand between his legs, I rested my hands in his soft hair tried to calm him by playing with it. 

“I don’t blame you, for hurting me, you just got really into it,” I whispered into his hair kissing it lightly. I felt his arms come up and wrap around my legs and my shirt where his face was slowly became wet. I pulled back a little helping him lay down before joining him on the bed pulling his body into mine. “Shh, it’s okay, sweetheart. You didn’t nothing wrong,” I soothed, still playing with his hair. 

“No, you don’t understand, Calum. When I went with Grace-- oh god, the things they made us do. At the time I had Grace increasing my strength physically and emotionally. When we got back I confided in Jen and Luke. That’s how Jen knew that line would cause me to snap. One of the leaders had a power of hypnotism. There things that I’ve done that you never should ever know,” Michael sobbed into my chest. 

“If you really were that bad of a person you wouldn’t feel sorry and you would have killed me,” I pointed out. This caused Michael to pull away from me looking off into the distance, out of focus and cold.

“I don’t think that I would be able to live if you left. I am  really not anything with you anymore. I am just a ghost, which is better because I can't hurt you anymore,” he mumbled out not really with it or me. I looked up at him, processing what I had just heard.

“No,” I barked sharply, the anger in my features. He turned to look back at me confusion showing through. “If I die in this war you aren’t allowed to just stop living. No, you go on, raise a family fall in love. You are twenty-one. You don’t stop if I am gone,” I urged. 

“But-” He tried but I stopped him. 

“No buts. If either one of us dies the other must go on and be happy. Remember the other and tell stories of his life but we can’t stop living. The world doesn’t stop for one death.” I was stand now looking down at him. His hair is a mix of yellow and red. Good, get angry I thought. That is what I needed. 

“Fine,” Michael eventually said breaking the staring contest we were having, “Let’s just go to bed. It has been a long day.” I nodded as we change silently only to slip into bed immediately grabbing for each other. I buried my face in his collarbone. He pressed a kiss to my temple with a mumbled, “I love you.” 

The next few months rushed by. Several smaller attacks have been sent out by They. We got news of new laws and propaganda showing how much happier the “Mutated,” as They like to call us, feel with the forced injections and communities that Shooters and Enforcers guard. New commercials with small children reporting to Enforcers that they think one of their classmates is a ‘Mutated,’ or of happier parents after they send their own children to the reversing schools to get Treatment ran daily. After watching a reel of commercials that was released that month Michael comes home muttering how sick and twisted it was of They to make those ‘commercials’. His eyes seem more sunken in at this point and his skin just that much paler. 

Katarina still had people training everyday in preparation, but I skipped the training instead working with Pat in the infirmary or at the daycare center. Ashton convinced Kat to push the wedding up a few years since they may not be alive in a year. So nine months into my time at The City, Ashton, Michael, Achilles, Pat, Luke, and I gather for Ash’s stag party. There were two bars in The City, Kat and her friends had choose the one on the East end us at the one on the South. We had been there for a while, and most of the boys were dancing and being weird, I looked at Luke and felt a strange wave of emotion roll over me, one that sent me to think that this was the last chance. I shook my head clearing it of that thought. I looked over at Pat, who was the only one still sitting in the booth with me. “What does Pat stand for,” I asked tilting my head to the side like a puppy. 

He chuckled back at me before turning to me, his hair has gotten much longer at this point unlike my own which I had just fixed it’s undercut shape less than a week ago. “My dad named me Patroclus, which means glory of the father. The ironic part is I am the biggest disappointment to him ever. Yeah, he actually works for They, almost shot me in the head in our front yard back in secondary school. Lucky me, I knew Achilles at the time. He came over and saw my dad. That’s when I found out he had extreme speed and strength. We ran away later that night. Achilles was from a rich family that could pay for the both of us. Two weeks later we stumbled into Grace and The Band of Misfit Toys.” He ends the story smiling I was filled with the happiness that was rolling off of him. 

I was going to ask more, but Ashton and Luke came bouncing in right after the story was finished. Ash was showing off his dimples, proud of the night he has had. “Well, it has been excellent, gents, but Lukey and I are heading home for I am getting married to the most beautiful woman tomorrow morning. I will see you dressed nice and clean at ten o’clock on the cliff,” Ashton stumbled through, bursting into giggles several times.

“I thought it was Michael’s cliff,” I mocked laughing at how Luke had to keep him upright.

Ashton pointed a wobbly finger at me. “Well Kat and I are confiscating his cliff for a few hours,” he yelled over the loud noise. Luke grabbed hold a bit better before waving goodnight and turning away with Ashton, who we all knew was no lightweight and hadn’t even drank that much, but he put on a good show. It wasn’t till they were almost gone that I realised the feeling I read from Luke. 

I turned to Pat and rushed out an excuse of why I had to go, he nodded and let me leave. I made it almost to the door before Michael finally stopped me. “Wooah there babe. What’s wrong? Why are you in such a hurry,” He quized with a light grip on my arm. His hair was a natural blonde with lighter yellow highlights in it. 

“Ashton and Luke just left and Luke is going to do something stupid mainly because his meds are wearing off and I need to stop him,” I rushed through before taking his hand off my arm and running out the door. I knew he would probably follow me but there were things he had to do before he could, buying me time to talk to Luke alone. 

I ran to the tents and almost made it in time to stop Luke, but almost was not enough. “Luke what are you doing,” Ashton’s sharp and offended voice of carried through the silent camp. I ducked behind one of the other tents to watch the scene play out. The pair was standing in front of the medic tent, just meters from where Katarina was already sleeping. 

“Come one Ash, just one more time. I miss us,” Luke mused grabbing for his arm but Ashton pulled back. 

“No, I am marrying Katarina tomorrow. You and I have been over for years now, Lukey. Don’t do this now.” He sounded sad like breaking the news to a small child that grandma wasn’t coming back. 

“Don’t do what,” Luke sounded angry now like the pet name shot venom in his veins, “Fight for the guy I love and who I know loves me back.”

Ashton sighed, reaching out for him; it was Luke’s turn to pull back, “You’re right I do love you. But I don’t love you like I loved you yesterday.”

“I hate you,” Shot the venom from his mouth, “Be glad your real father left you. Be glad that your mom married a normal, and that you have normal siblings that you can return to when this mess is over! Because I don’t! My family is gone, everyone I know I’ve lost. I lost you to Kat, Grace to They, Michael to Calum, and my family to the neighbors who thought that the kid who could read minds had to of come from a family of freaks!” Then the bridge crumbled. Luke hit his knees with a dry sob escaping his throat. I have never seen an eighteen year old leader demission into an eight year old frightened boy so quickly. I heard a soft ‘oh Lukey’ come from Ashton as he kneels down with him, cradling the broken boy in his arms. “You know,” Luke quickly broke the silence with a watery voice, “Sometimes I cry from all the pleading, so sick and tired of all the needless beating.” 

“I know, mate. We all are. Let’s get you to bed, kiddo,” Ashton mumbled into his hair as he pulled Luke up and dragged him to his own tent. Three minutes later he came back out looking older and tired, he stood there for a second before walking into his own tent. 

“What happened,” A breathless Michael said as he came to a teetering stop. I looked him over before leaning in and kissing him, it was much our first, slow and loving. “Woah,” Michael sighed after we pulled away, “What’s wrong, you’re crying. What happened between Ashton and Luke?” 

“Luke broke down he feels like everyone is leaving him. I guess the wedding made it a little too real for him. But he’s right. People like us don’t get the happy endings; we lose everyone. We force happiness to us, but I am tired of forcing happiness and when we survive this war I want to be with you, and visit Kat and Ashton, and play footie on the weekends, and have a normal job, go out to restaurants. And I am tired, sweetheart, I don’t want to wait for months or years. So that’s what is wrong, I am tired,” I sobbed, I didn’t know where the emotions came from, I had a guess that it was from Luke and Ashton. 

Michael’s hair hinted at the soft pink as he smiled sadly and pulled me into a tight hug. “Shhh it’s okay. I get it. I was like that before you came. But we will win this war. At most we have three months left till this is all over. And once it is, I promise you that we will move somewhere sunny and near the water, close to our friends. We will be safe for the rest of our lives. This much I promise you,” He swore into my hair. Holding there for a moment, let the world around us carry one as we held the moment as our own. “Come. We have a wedding to attend in the morning.” With that our night closed. 

The wedding was small. Those who went out last night were the only ones at the ceremony. You would've cried if you saw how Kat looked. Her hair had been curled perfectly to frame her face. The long white lace dress she wore was tight on the top with a loose bottom. It had a small part leading behind, she had her wings sitting on top of the dress, refusing to cover them. I couldn’t help the chuckle that came from me seeing Ash cry at the sight of her. Nico performed the actual marrying, saying most of it in Italian. Their vows were quick and loving, but we could all see that there was more they weren’t saying in front of us. 

Once the wedding ended the true party started. We all came rushing down from the cliff in pairs, Kat and Ash in the front of course. The rest of the City was waiting at the bottom of the hill, a bonfire blazing to the tops of the trees. There was dancing and drinking and friendship, and it was a perfect night to end a beautiful day. Ashton didn’t let go of Katarina’s waist the whole night. I looked around for Luke to make sure he was okay. I found him on the other side of the pit chatting with the girl who lead me to the medic tent all those months back. He had blush on his cheeks that was not from the heat of the fire. 

I pulled on the feeling coming from Ashton and Katarina, the pure joy and love, and amplified it to the residents figuring we could all use a night of joy and love. I felt arms snuck around my waist and a chest press to my back. “Hey, lovely,” Michael whispered in my ear, afraid that talking too loud would break us out of this dream. I didn’t say anything back, just squeezed his hand telling him hello silently. “Come on,” He pleaded, pulling me closer to him, “Let’s go home and to bed. I missed you.” I laughed at the silliness of the statement. We had been near each other all day, but I had to agree. I turned in his arms to face him, pecked his lips, nodded, and grabbed his hand, leading us home.

*******

I wish that the peace that we had that night lasted longer, but like all good things for us must come to a crash and burn ending. Two months after the wedding, Kat was discovered to be pregnant. Everyone was happy and excited for the coming child. The night after Kat had told us, I stumbled upon Ashton in the arena, fear and anxiety controlling his actions. It was then that he broke down telling me how he had fear that he would end up like his father and run away. I told him that just the fact that he was worried about that proved he would be a great dad. 

The happiness over the new baby did not last long. A week after the announcement a fire had been started on the lake from appeared to be chemical spill. Kat sent Jenny and I to check out what was happening. When we got to the lake, we were met with a terrifying sight. Kneeling down with their hands bound behind them were three residence of The City who had come for a day at the lake, Shooters were pointing guns at their heads. The one in the middle was in charge, this was easy to tell. “You have a week to close down The City, and turn yourselves in for Treatment,” his harsh tone was like a knife, sharp and thin. 

“And if we don’t turn over ourselves? If we fight,” I snarled feeling anger bubble at how arrogant and holier-than-thou they treated us. 

All three pulled the trigger at the same time, killing the family on the spot. I flinched as blood ran from the small boy on the left, shuttering as the mom in the middle spasmed after death. The leader walked up to me placing his gun under my chin. I refused to show fear pulling from his sense of calm to keep myself there. “Then have you heard the news that you're dead? No one ever had much nice to say. I think they never liked your kind anyway. Now you’ve only got two days.” Before they left one of them set the bodies on fire. 

“Well done,” Jenny broke the hanging silence. She went up to the fire and somehow pulled it into her, leaving the smell of burning flesh hanging in the air.

“So that’s your Gift? You have the power to control fire,” I said back, realising that was the first time I had ever seen her use her Gift.

“I can control the elements. So nice try but still wrong,” She sassed me, looking more at the bodies then at me.

“Why do you hate me so much?” I asked not understanding how she could hate me after only meeting me maybe ten times.

“Because you are ruining my plans,” Jenny mumbled back before almost lighting me on fire. 

I glared at her before jumping back to The Office. I realised I interrupted something when I looked around. Ashton, Michael, and Luke were wearing their masks, something that only happened in an extreme crisis. 

“Where’s Katarina,” I asked out of breath and vision blurry, the smell of burning flesh still held in my nose. 

“with Pat,” Ashton told me looking increasingly nervous, “He wanted to check up on the baby, make sure they’re okay. What’s wrong?”

“They have given us a final warning. Turn everyone in for Treatment in the next forty eight hours or we die,” I rushed not liking the taste of it in my mouth. Luke flinched at the meaning of the statement as Michael rushed to keep me upright- I hadn’t noticed I was falling. 

“We need to tell Katarina then call a City meeting to decide what to do,” Michael commanded as he lowered me into a chair. 

Ashton paled, which was quite disturbing to watch happen to his normally bronze skin. “No we cannot do that. It will stress her out and put her and the baby’s life in danger.” Ashton was pacing and shaking his head violently as he finished.

“And you think a bunch of Shooters coming in here in two days killing everybody won’t?! She is our leader and she needs to know,” Michael snapped as his hair became flames. Ashton looked like he’s about to cry when she walked in. Sensing the mood shift since she left, her smile dropped.

“What happened?” Kat asked timidly, afraid of the answer she might get. 

“We are going to war in two days unless you want us all to be turned over for treatment,” Luke stated bluntly. Katarina gasped and laid her hand on her stomach, not much bigger than before, but  there was still a need to protect in her. Ashton rushed to her side, slipping his arms around her. 

“Fine,” Kat sneered after minutes of aching silence, “Gather the residents we are going to war.” With that she walked out Ashton close behind.

“I guess I’ll tell everyone to meet in the arena in twenty minutes. You two can be all lovey dovey like everyone else here,” Luke sighed as he stood walking away. I pushed Michael off of me, much to his dislike, and followed Luke out. 

“Luke,” I called after him as he made his way to the center of downtown, “Hey, wait up. I want to talk to you.”

“Look, I am sorry if I was rude-” He started but I held up my hand and pulled him into a hug. Even though he was a good 11 centimeters taller than me, he shrunk in my arms, becoming a small scared child. 

“It’s okay to be alone for a little. It sucks when no one around is too, but it’s okay that you are. You are only eighteen, you got a lot of time to find the one,” I mumbled into his hair, like a parent would to their child when they wake from a nightmare.

“I sometimes think I won’t get that time. People like us have a quick expiration date, Calum,” He sobbed into my shoulder. I just held him tighter to my body before pulling back enough so I could look him in the eyes.

“You will. We all will. And you will be my best man at Michael and my wedding, then you will marry someone perfect. Then all of us; Ashton, Katarina, Achilles, Pat, Rian, Cally, their daughter, Nico, Will, You, your future spouse, Michael, and I are all going to live in the same neighborhood and raise families together. We will tell stories of our days fighting for The Cause. And for longer than a month, we will be happy.” We were both crying at this point. Not of sadness anymore instead in excitement of our lives to come. “Now you need to gather everyone, and I need to tell Michael I love him because it’s just that mood. I’ll see you soon,” I brushed before pulling him into one last quick hug. 

I made it about halfway to The Office when I met up wit Michael. I smiled to him before opening my arms and pulling him in. I rested my chin on his shoulder to whisper, “I love you, you know that, right? We don’t say it too often but I really do.” 

Michael pulled me back to look me in the eyes. I glanced up to check his hair- bright pink, and I smiled. He asked, “Are you okay? Did you and Luke have a moment? Because I will not let you be gay with anyone but me,” with a smirk planted on his lips. 

The eye roll couldn’t have been stopped. I pushed him away and started walking to the arena, knowing he would follow. “I take it back,” I shouted over my shoulder, “I actually hate you, you insensitive walnut. I am leaving you for Luke.”

Nope,” He popped, grabbing my hand left hand and forcefully swinging it with his, the smirk still there, “You aren’t allowed to leave me, you are stuck with me.” 

I sighed deeply, but still smiled at the thought of our forever, “Well, I guess if I have to.”

“Good, because you do. Also I love you too, cashew,” He whispered into my temple before kissing me there. I giggled at the dumb joke right as we walked into the arena to find everyone else already there.

“Look who decide to grace us with their presence,” Katarina shouted out, a smile playing on her lips.

“Sorry your majesty. Our carriage was late,” Mikey sassed back before leading us to the open seats next to Luke. 

Kat rolled her eyes hard enough they might of fallen out before beginning the announcement, “As some of you may know They have given us our final warning today. In the process of killing three of our friends Shooters told Calum and Jenny that we have two days to turn ourselves in for Treatment or be killed. Now here it is, go now and get treatment, which will kill you, or wait out the two days here and fight with us for the right to live as humans.” The pause lasted longer than comfortable, but no one got up and left. Most looked around. “Good, no one under sixteen is allowed to fight and until age nineteen you get a choice. Now for those of you who think this will be an easy win for us: I must say, well, I know a thing about contrition, because I got enough to spare. And I'll be granting your permission ’cause you haven't got a prayer. Even with our powers The Shooters and Enforcers have taken our kind down. They have manipulated the DNA of Shooters to make them stronger and faster than normal, much like Achilles but not as extreme. For those who think everyone will survive I ask you now to wake up from your daydream. Also, to those that we do lose, I am sorry for you because everyone here will miss you. I do not judge you if you want to leave now. But know that we will still fight for your freedom even after you go.” When she was done there was a thin sheet of ice that everyone was standing on, no one wanted to be the person to move and break it. 

That was till Thomas, a middle aged man I had gotten to know from him dropping off his three sons at the daycare, stood with a heavy gaze. Kat and him held eye contact for a millennium before he spoke, “Why would we leave and die laying down like sick dogs when we could stand and fight like humans.” Everyone stood and cheered in agreement. 

A crooked grin took to Katarina’s lips, “Good, then on Sunday we fight!”

The entire city got together in the streets of downtown the next night and partied as if tomorrow meant their end, for some it probably did. The streets were aglow with neon paint on the roads, the buildings, the people. Michael refused to leave my side the whole night; I didn’t mind in the slightest. It felt nice to have one last cheer for it all. Around two in the morning we, with most of the others, went to our tent, dead on our feet but still vibrating with life. 

“This could be it,” I whispered as we got settled to go to sleep, my arms had a death grip on his torso. His arm laid softly on my back running his fingers up and down slowly. 

“It could be, but it won’t be. I promise you we will make it out of this,” Michael swore, giving my side a squeeze before returning to running his fingers on my back. 

I pulled back, propping my body up on my forearm so I could look him in the eyes. His eyes were the normal soft green and his hair pink. “How do you know,” I mumbled, not sure if I said it out loud till he sighed.

“Because, we have a lot of plans to fulfill, and I am not letting death by They stop that.” He pulled me back down to his chest, now wrapping his arm tight around me. “Go to sleep, love; you’ll need all of it.”

We did sleep but not for long as five hours later Katarina was knocking on the foot of the bed telling us that we needed to prepare. Slowly and silently we both washed our hair, shaved, and got dressed in our combat gear. The City didn’t have the resources to build armour, so it just consisted of a wicker shirt, grey cargo pants, and combat boots. As I finished lacing mine, I started for the door and looked back at Michael. He was still sitting in the edge of the bed staring down at his untied shoe. I sighed and walked over to him. Kneeling down I tied it up tight so it won’t come undone. 

I went to stand but he grabbed my shoulder. I looked up at him, bright purple hair with soft black hidden in it and green eyes surrounded by a ring startled me. “What’s wrong, babe,” I asked in a hushed tone, afraid that I may spook him like a small child.

“Um, if things don’t go as planned today I have one request,” He choked out, not being able to meet my eyes.

“We will make it out-,” He cut me off  with a shake of his head.

“But if we don’t,” He emphasised, grabbing my hands, “If you say goodbye today, I ask you to be true. Because the hardest part of this will be leaving you.” 

I pulled him into a tight hug, hastily he hug back, knowing it could be our last. “The same goes for you,” I pressed into his hair before pulling back to giving him a kiss.

The joult is what forced us to separate. Ashton came running in a second later. “Come we need to leave! They dropped a bomb on the South side and the fire is spreading fast,” He shouted, the fear was striking in his eyes. With a new found vigor we stood and sprinted to the West exit trying to outrun the fire. When we get out we find everyone by the lake gathering and forming attack groups. Katarina is up flying over over the forest looking for those who got lost. 

She came in about to land when a booming voice from the other side of the forest demanded, “Those who are among the Infected, and resided in enemy bunker 022, we ask you to come to this side of the woods arms up and weapons abandoned. This is your last chance of receiving Treatment.”

Kat turned to look at all of us, she had that expression say  _ What do you want to do now?  _ Scan the crowd we all heard a group start chant fight for freedom. I watched as Katarina took on her role as leader and got us organised, in a formation we practiced after the meeting two days ago. Then slowly but surely we made our way through the woods to the other side. 

Once we got there we were meet with the sight of hundreds of Shooters and Enforcers. On top of a tank looking over all of us was a group of five people in suits, the leaders of They. Once everyone was out of the woods Kat called us to stop with the raise of her hand. Her and the only female leader had a staring contest. Only broken when Kat turned to the left and shouted, “Nico, Will, now!” 

In a flash of black and green a large group of Enforcers was knocked down, some being choked by shadow as others bursted out into blisters that oozed blood and pus quickly. In retaliation a large group of Shooters blitz out several rounds, and I run and jump a few of them away just in time, yet I couldn’t save them all. I watched as friends and neighbors go down bloody. 

Michael was at my side instantly. “Come on,” He shouted in my ear over the noise of battle, “We have a job we have to do.” I nodded remembering the plan that the eight of us had came up with late at night in The Office. I grabbed on to his hand and started sprinting then jumped us to right behind the tank, where Achilles and Luke were already waiting. Luke looked sickly pale as his eyes land on Michael. 

“Michael look up at the leader, process what is happening then don’t do anything,” He commanded hands laying heavy on his shoulders. Michael studied him with furrowed eyebrows but nodded anyway. 

Michael turned to the left he peeks over the top of the tank. What he saw was terrifying enough for his hair to revert back to that terrible blue. “This can't be real,” He mumbled as he came back looking ghostly and tormented.

“Who is it,” I asked rubbing his arm in an attempt to comfort him.

“My mother,” he whispered. I look over him remembering the scars that cover his body, the words and torture that the woman put him through. 

I went to speak when a shrill voice cut in, “Hello, darling. I had hoped you would have died by this point.” His mother looked like him, with pale skin and naturally green eyes. She was short though, like Jenny, and had a round harshly cut face. Michael looked over at her, eyes and hair all black. She rolled her eyes at the change. “Well, it looks like you have no more control over your problem than when you were a stupid child,” She whined heartlessly. 

“Why you heartless-” Michael started at her when she pulled out a gun pointing it at me stopping him in his tracks.

“Oh no, my boy, that would be a poor choice. You were such a disappointment. I should've raised a baby girl, you should've been a better son. If I could have coddled the infection They could have amputated at once,” She hissed. 

Michael held her glare with one of equal caliber. “I love how you make it sound like we are just a dead limb, nothing that can’t be removed. Well, and when we go don't blame us, yeah. We'll let the fires just bathe us. You made us so famous. You turned us into the villains of this story,” He bit back at her. 

She laughed as she shook her head. “You're meant for the flies. And right now they're building a coffin your size, you’ll bed in minutes. "You ain't no son of mine. For what you've done they're gonna find a place for you and just your mind,” She cackled cocking the gun aimed at my chest. As she laid her finger on the trigger I let my eyes fall shut, waiting for death. It never came, instead the sound of a resonating neck snapping. 

I flipped my eyes open and stared at the sight before me. Achilles was standing over the limp body of Michael’s mother, her neck was at a strange angle. I looked around and found Luke, Will, Pat, Kat, Jenny, and Ashton had joined us behind of the tank. Several Shooters and the rest of the leaders had followed us. 

The events that happened next were in quick succession. A Shooter jumped down from the tank and stabbed Nico while shooting Will and Luke. Jen ran to check on Luke only to get an arrow through the skull. Ashton blocked Katarina, sending out a telepathic message to the Shooters so they kill each other. Three of the Shooters did as Ash told them, but one threw a knife into the side of Ashton’s throat. He dropped back into Kat causing her to go down with him. Kat tried grabbing where the knife was, trying to stop the bleeding, but it struck too deep and he was dead before hitting the ground. “We're damned after all. Through fortune and flame we fall. For now  our brothers in arms are gone,” She mumbled as she clung to her husband’s limp arms. 

“Michael are we going to be okay? I feel like we can’t make it out of this. What about our plans? Did we just watch all of our friends die,” I rapid fired questions, hot tears streaming down my face. 

A blue haired and eyed Michael turned to me and grabbed my hand with a vice grip. “Stop asking me questions, I’d hate to see you cry. Calum, we’re all gonna die,” He choked out, not meeting my eyes. 

I looked back at the Leaders only to find Jenny standing with them. The bomb wasn’t a bomb, it was just a fire. “You stupid traitor,” I hissed at her. Instead of giving me a response she rolled her eyes sparking an explosion in me. I forced every single bit of pain and suffering and sadness I could find and forced it on her. I watched and smiled as she hit the ground grabbing at her heart. 

“What did you do to her,” one of the leaders said apathetically, kicking over her limp body. 

“Over rode her with emotion till she had a heart attack,” I explained a smug grin on my face. The leader hummed not really caring. 

“You have lost this war, Infected. Give up and surrender, we will make your end painless,” a tall dark man said stepping forward.

“Dad, is that you?” A horrified Pat whispered out. A look of disgust crossed the leader’s face giving away his identity. Pat sneered at his father, murder in his eyes as he glared. “You are willing to kill your own son, and his husband. You are a sick man.”

“The second you didn’t die in the house fire you became on son of mine,” His father’s monotoned indifference struck deep in everyone’s heart, well those who had hearts.

A group of Shooters forced those of us that are still alive into a line. “Kneel, infected,” the one shouted, each pointing a gun at our heads. Pat and Achilles dropped. After a few more shouts from the Shooter so did Michael. I refused. 

_ And that’s the story. So I need you to help me. You need to change the past. Or your future so none of the bad will happen.  _

_ //////// _

_ The pair stare at each other. Calum was blocking the door forcing Grace to listen to the whole story. Her gold eyes were much more lively when she had blood running through her veins, giving her a sense of power and kindness. If Michael hadn’t told Calum that she was Katarina’s full blood sister he wouldn’t of believed it. They were such contradictions in appearance.  _

_ Their common factor was the face they pulled when they couldn’t figure out if you were kidding, serious, or just plain crazy. “Why on earth should I believe you,” Grace inquires her voice soft and smooth, higher than her sister’s. _

_ Calum nods understanding where the question would come from. She had never met him in the other life. “Because I need you to. I have watched everyone you helped raise for several years just die. It is the worst thing I have ever seen and it destroyed me. So you need to believe me so it won’t happen. Your death is what sparked the flame of Kat’s anger,” He explains plainly. He didn’t have the time or a reason that explained why she should believe him, she just needed too.  _

_ She nods in return still not really trusting him. Calum had already shown her his powers, so she knew he was Gifted. There were things that he said that made sense, the pain that he had to go through to hold the connection to her and keep Michael alive in another time. “Look,” Calum sighs breaking her out of her head, “I know you have to make your choice fast but believe me please. I can’t go back to my time the way it is. The hardest parts are the awful things that I've seen.” _

_ Grace studies him for a second longer before saying, “How could you cry for me? I am undeserving of your sympathy. You never even knew me.” _

_ “Because those I love were crying for your lose. It’s the problem with being an emotional sensor, you pick up on what everyone else is feeling at the time. They only felt loss and grief from your death,” Calum spells out, the connection becoming weak and lost.  _

_ Again she only nods, driving Calum a little crazy. After a small infinity of silence she speaks, “Okay let’s do this get me out of here so we can kill the leaders of They.” _

_ Calum jumps them outside of the prison in which Grace was held in. The leader’s of They were foolish enough to kept her close to their main office. Grace looks around the strange office building that the pair somehow landed in. She looks over Calum before nodding and sprint to the elevator. Calum follows close behind, he passes her Katarina’s dagger that he had taken from her sister right before his jump. She eyes it and gets comfortable with it’s weight again. The door’s bell chimes as they open, showing off a large hallway with only one pair of doors at the end of the hall. Marching into the room Calum and Grace stop all conversation going on in the room.  _

_ “How on earth did you get out?” A woman, that Calum knew as Michael’s mother, shouts in detest. The other leaders try to make it to the door only to have Calum stand in front of it with his gun rest comfortably in his right hand. The movement stops in the room.  _

_ Grace looks over each person carefully, deciding how much pain they deserve. She steps forward, twirling the dagger in her hand. “As the known leaders of They you have all committed crimes against humanity through the mass murder of people labeled Gifted. I will be the one administering your punishment,” Grace states, her voice is stone but the smirk gives away that she is enjoying this. She turns to look dead at Michael’s mother and points the blade at her. “I will be starting with you.” With a toss of the dagger so the blade is pointing down Grace sprints at the woman.  _

_ ********* _

_ The job only took a few minutes. Right after we had killed the leaders I became too weak to stay in the past and was forced back to my time. I woke up several hours after I had originally made the jump, giving the impression that I blacked out right after.  _

_ I stumbled out of the woods where I landed and looked around for any signs of a battle and death. I found none in the area. The grass is not stain red and there is no bodies laying around like ragdolls. I feel a smile creeping on my face, it worked. I sprint to the entrance of The City, finding several of my neighbors walking out and down to the lake.  _

_ “Hey, Calum where the heck have you been, Kat and Grace are looking for you,” Achilles shouts at me as he and Pat pass their hands interlocked. I nod numbly and march into The City walls and head to The Office.  _

_ I find a still pregnant Katarina leaning over the table with Ashton’s hand resting on her back in support. At the sight my vision becomes blurry. “Well look who finally decide to come join me, you sir are three hours late,” Grace’s voice pulls me from my own head. I turn to see her walking in, with a wave of her hand she dismisses her sister and Ashton, much to their confusion. “Oh thank goodness you woke up, thought the jump might of killed you for a little there,” She quips hip checking me as she walks past to the other side of the tent.  _

_ “So it worked?” I ask as she settles behind her desk, “Everyone remembers who I am and everyone is still alive and well?” _

_ “Yep,” Grace cheers, popping the p, “About seven hours ago the you I have come to learn said he had to go and meet back up with you, also told me to remind you that over the next week or so you should gain all the memories he had. Is it hard understanding a life that's so demanding, and honestly I don’t want to know what you had to go through. Know that you can’t tell anyone of the events of the other timeline. Now get out of here, we both know there is someone else you would much rather check up on.”  _

_ I nod, excitement filling my veins like blood. I rush and give her a quick hug before sprinting out to head to our tent. Michael. I am so close to seeing him alive and happy. There was and is nothing They can say can stop me from going home. I make it to the tent and throw the flap entrance out of the way. I am meet with the sight of pink hair, pale skin, and green eyes. Pink is my favourite colour.  _

  
  
  



End file.
